If you have a passport, then you know the immediate eye roll that comes with seeing your passport expires within the next 6-12 months. Prior to recent years, the U.S. passport renewal process required completing the entire process in-person at an appropriate location operating as a passport office or getting everything sent in the mail. Passports are already a more expensive item to purchase, and the extra time and money spent on getting to and being at an approved passport office or the concern of items getting lost in the mail just intensified the eye roll when the time came to renew your passport.
However, a significant change was made in recent years to the options available for renewing a U.S. passport. There is now an option to renew your U.S. passport online for those who meet certain eligibility requirements! I first got a passport when I was in elementary school because my family was planning to drive to Canada after my brother's graduation. When I turned 18, I had to renew my passport to be able to go on a group trip to Europe with my high school and I remember how much running around was involved just to get everything together for it.
After checking the U.S. Department of State website, I determined that I was eligible to renew my passport online. I wanted to share my thoughts from my experience doing this because Kimi's Travel Thoughts is a travel blog and I haven't shared travel tips in a while. Here are the key things to know about renewing your U.S. passport online:
Clear Eligibility Requirements and Instructions
The U.S. Department of State website makes it very simple to go through each step of the online passport renewal process. The first step is to check your eligibility to make sure that you meet the requirements for renewing your passport online. If you are not eligible to renew online, you'll have to try mailing in your documents for your passport or go in-person to a passport agency.
If you are eligible to renew your U.S. passport online, you will be able to continue on through the remaining seven steps that are clearly listed on the website. I recommend accessing the U.S. Department of State website and completing the renewal process using a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet in landscape mode. This will make it easier to view the information on the website.
More Options for Your Passport Photo
When renewing your passport online, you will be required to upload a recent photo that meets a specific set of guidelines. The U.S. Department of State provides a video to help you learn how to upload a proper photo. They also have a dedicated page on their website for uploading a digital photo for your passport. One important thing with your photo is that someone else must take the photo of you. Selfies are not allowed, even if you have an appropriate background and meet the other requirements. The option to have someone else take your photo can save you money. However, if you don't have someone available to take a photo of you or you want to ensure that your digital passport photo meets the requirements on the first attempt, just go to a place that takes passport photos and pay $20 for the printed and digital photos. Either way, getting your passport photo taken is by far the least glamorous photoshoot you'll ever experience.
Per the recommendation of my brother who had previously renewed his passport online, I paid $20 for a guaranteed accurate photo to upload for my passport. I went to a local CVS after work and the entire process took about 10 minutes and that's only because the store was busy. The photo they took apparently wasn't satisfactory because the lighting wasn't balanced. I returned to CVS to get the photo taken again which they said they would do for free if my photo was not accepted. My upload was satisfactory with the second photo! Other drugstores such as Walgreens will also take passport photos. Make sure to get the digital photo that is emailed to you if you plan to renew your passport online. A scan of the printed copy is not allowed.
Cost of Renewing Your U.S. Passport Online
Passport fees must be paid using a credit card or debit card when renewing your adult U.S. passport online. Whether renewing by mail or online, the fees for passport books and cards are the same. The application fee for a passport book is $130 and the application fee for a passport card is $30. If you want to get both the passport book and card, the total cost is $160. The U.S. Department of State website even includes a passport fee calculator on their website if you're unsure of the amount you will need to pay.
Processing Time for Online U.S. Passport Renewal
If you are in a hurry to get your passport, online passport renewal is not a good option and you should go to a passport agency. For those with extra time to spare before they need to use their passport to travel somewhere or have available as proof of identity, it will take potentially anywhere between 1-2 months. These processing times are standard. I don't have any pending international travel plans at the time I'm writing this blog post, so the anticipated processing time works well for me.
Parting Thoughts
Hopefully, this information has clued you in on things to keep in mind as you prepare to renew your U.S. passport online. I linked all the U.S. Department of State pages to reference throughout this blog post so you can go to the correct pages for the most current and accurate information on their website regarding online passport renewal. If you know your passport expiration date is approaching, try not to wait too long to get it renewed because this process takes time whether renewing by mail or online. You never know when having a valid passport may come in handy!
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